Border Cliff Customs House boatramp

Border Cliff Customs House and boatramp
Historic site, scenery, grassy area, off-street parking, shady trees, cafe, toilets, picnic tables, BBQ
The Customs House (under the Border Cliffs at Port Murthoo) was originally established to take some control over the large volume of river craft travelling between various ports on the River Murray. New South Wales, which claimed the river as part of it’s colony, built customs houses at it’s state borders to impose duties on items being transported by river from Victoria and then from South Australia.  This caused much dissent and anger with other colonies and they too eventually established customs houses at state borders.
In January 1884 the SA Govenor dispatched a party to establish a customs post on the SA/Vic border. On 8th April 1884, a reserve for a customs house to be known as Port Murthoo was gazetted.  The Customs House was built by December 1884 at a cost of less than $1000 in current terms. The Customs House watched over river trade for about 20 years and was served by four customs officers in that time.
Legend has it that river-boat skippers objected to paying their way and often goods were smuggled over the state borders or dumped to avoid paying taxes. One skipper who objected to paying the then impost of 10 pounds as poll tax on his Chinese cook had the fellow walk through the scrub past customs, supposedly to rejoin the boat further upstream, however the cook never made it back to the riverboat - he was later seen working on a sheep station further North. At the time duty on a sheep was (in today’s money) 10 cents, pigs 50 cents, cows $2 and horses $4 - little wonder the skippers objected to paying! From time to time Customs Officers fired shots over the bows of passing steamers, whose skippers had ‘forgotten’ to call in and declare their loads.
In 1901, Federation brought an end to customs houses, free trade was allowed between states.  The advent of railways to river towns (especially in Victoria and NSW) saw the riverboat trade decline. In 1902, the Commonwealth Gazette announced The Customs House at Port Murthoo in the State of South Australia was to close.
If you have time there is a wet-land walk (approx 4 kms) extending into the Mertho forrest. Water-birds abound.
 
Enhance your trails experience. Information about South Australian trails including bike, walking, scuba and horse trails go the the SA Trails website: www.southaustraliantrails.com